


Ten Seconds

by kohiya



Category: Army Of Two (Video Game)
Genre: End-game scenario, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-01
Updated: 2010-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-06 18:39:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kohiya/pseuds/kohiya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were already implicated in this. The majority of Shanghai would never know the truth behind the attacks. Jonah would remain a faceless entity whereas they would be dragged mercilessly across the coals.</p><p>A dull, bitter wave of anger swept through him – whatever the choice they made, the terrorist had still won.</p><p> <br/>Jonah gives Rios and Salem a choice... and ten seconds in which to make it. Possible end-game spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ten Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> This story needs more butt-slaps. Sad-face.

“You have ten seconds.”

Ten seconds. Salem or seven million innocents. Sacrifice – that was what the madman wanted. Sacrifice. Fucking _bastard._

He was hoping for some sort of easy solution – something like Jonah dropping dead from convenient aneurysm or Salem coming out with a “don’t worry about it, man, just shoot me and we’ll move on” quip. Neither happened.

Nine.

In fact Salem - _fucking_ _hell, Salem_ \- was doing exactly the opposite. The “fuck, don’t kill me” was all too obvious – whether or not the younger man intended it to be so he wasn’t sure. It didn’t come as a surprise, though – Salem loved the rush of combat and the thrill of survival. People like that didn’t want - nor would they ever suit - the role of playing a corpse.

Eight.

He, on the other hand, wasn’t afraid of death. They’d both faced it numerous times, laughed in the face of it, and moved on. Whilst they had cheated death before, though, he had accepted it as an eventuality – whether prematurely or otherwise – and was willing to face it when it came. Salem, however, was not – perhaps had never even really thought about the possibility.

Seven.

Damn, he suddenly felt terribly, horribly old.

Six.

They were already implicated in this. The majority of Shanghai would never know the truth behind the attacks. Jonah would remain a faceless entity whereas they would be dragged mercilessly across the coals.

A dull, bitter wave of anger swept through him – whatever the choice they made, the terrorist had still won.

Five.

Samantha. She knew that he was in Shanghai. He wondered if she’d seen the news of the attacks. Perhaps watched them with a bemused expression and thoughts of “I’m sure I knew somebody in Shanghai once” before settling back on the couch with that new millionaire businessman boyfriend of hers and moving on with her life.

Four.

Salem’s pistols were still pointing at Jonah’s head, remaining steadfast to the point of stubbornness. He knew - perhaps all along - that Salem would sacrifice the seven million lives without question. That, in some twisted, perverse way, scared him – until he thought about living life without Salem - which made his stomach knot.

Suddenly he understood that much more.

Three.

_Salem. Shoot. You have to._

The younger man’s eyes widened behind the familiar mask for just one instant. Salem shouldn’t have been surprised.

He’d always been one for the people, and Salem knew that.

Two.

And – though it was possibly the most selfish thing he could ever, would ever do – he also knew that Salem would follow through.

Rios never got to count to one.


End file.
